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LearnInsurance.com >> Designation Courses >> RIS Professional

Become an RIS Professional

Course Outline | FAQ's

In order to participate in the multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth that is about to take place, the advisor must possess a diverse set of skills and information. The Retirement Income Specialist (RIS) is well grounded in the investments that provide income and the different ways of delivering such income. The 60-hour certification course covers stretch IRAs, immediate annuities, reverse mortgages, systematic withdrawal plans, all categories of bonds, utilities, charitable trusts, cash equivalents, Social Security, and tax minimization. Effective ways of planning for long-term care, divorce, multiple marriages, Medicare, and Medicaid are also detailed.

As clients age, priorities change from accumulation to current income. One of the biggest fears of an aging population is outliving one's assets. The RIS is able to calm the client and provide real world solutions that are time tested. A reduced level of stress provides the investor with a greater life experience and extended life expectancy.

The RIS 60-hour program provides the practitioner with everything needed to select an effective investment plan. The cost of the program is $1,165. The cost includes everything: registration, shipping, materials, testing, and the first year's certification fee. The final exam is given at Thomson Prometric Centers which are located throughout the country. The exam is administered by the NASD. Students must also complete an open-book case study. The RIS program is fully accredited.

A phenomenal amount of money is spent on health care and the costs just keep increasing. With limited resources, clients need to know what policies and programs are wise planning choices and which ones are likely to be disappointing or unfulfilled. As an RIS you can bring joy and ease to what others fear when they deal with an uninformed advisor.

View RIS Brochure

Course Cost: $1,165

Course Outline

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Module I Annuitization, Stretch IRAs, and SWPs

Later in life, income becomes more important than growth. Some options offer guarantees, others the chance of increasing income or market participation. Receiving income provides peace of mind and the ability to provide a multi-generational legacy.

  • Fixed-rate and variable annuities: considerations
  • Annuitization vs. SWPs, tax issues, and Medicaid
  • Company guarantees, state guarantees, and titling
  • Living and death benefits, flexibility, and termination
  • Traditional and Roth IRAs from beyond the grave

Module II Bonds and Cash Equivalents

The worlds largest investment category is also the most misunderstood. One of life's best-kept secrets is that bonds can be dynamic. On a risk-adjusted return basis, cash equivalents are unmatched; a source that can be used at opportune times.

  • Short-, intermediate-, and long-term: facts and fiction
  • High-yield vs. junk and taxable vs. tax-free volatility
  • Portfolio correlation, ladders, barbells, and bullets
  • ETFs, closed-end funds, open-end funds, individual issues, and UITs
  • CDs, money market, and ultra short-term bonds

Module III Charitable Trusts and Tax Minimization

Charitable trusts can provide windfall tax benefits as well as income that lasts for multiple lifetimes. This option is often ignored because the client does not want to lose control. Using the proper language and examples can turn reluctance into enthusiasm.

  • Charitable lead and charitable remainder trusts
  • Income and tax ramifications of charitable giving
  • Letting go plus immediate and long-term consequences
  • Earned and unearned income, dividends, interest, and gains
  • Gifts, inheritances, and income shifting

Module IV Conservative Income Alternatives

An index provides exposure to the market as a whole or to specific segments. Covered call index writing provides income and protection in a bear market. Utilities, another overlooked alternative, react somewhat like equities and somewhat like fixed-income.

  • A cash cow coupled with the only conservative option play
  • Month-to-month commitment with tax benefits
  • Trading throughout the year with easy record-keeping
  • Enhancing the income stream and an annuity for everyone
  • The safe sector, dividend power, and in drag bonds

Module V Long-Term Care and Medicare

Most may never receive extended care, but there is a core belief that protection is needed. LTC insurers provide an array of choices. Some even offer return of premium guarantees or instant liquidity. Medicare offers protection not covered by LTC and vice versa.

  • The real odds of needing care and duration of stay
  • Policies with immediate liquidity and guarantees
  • Medicare explained and preservation planning
  • Asset, gifting, half a loaf, and income strategies
  • Children, divorce, and marriage considerations

Module VI Reverse Mortgages and Social Security

Loans are not taxable and do not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits. Explaining the workings of Social Security is one way to solidify the client-advisor relationship. And, like reverse mortgages, the subject matter does not have to be daunting.

  • Tapping everyone's favorite asset and types of distribution
  • Qualifying, costs, fees, and interest charges
  • Government agency guarantees, lenders, and the system
  • The inner-workings and the future of reverse mortgages
  • Social Security income and tax consequences simplified

RIS Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: What is the cost and what does it include?
A: The $1,165 fee covers everything - registration, materials, shipping, handling, and testing.

Q: How long does it take to complete the certification program?
A: Students are given 12 months to complete the program, but the vast majority of the enrollees complete the materials within a couple of months.

Q: What are the requirements for certification?
A: There are four requirements for certification: (1) pass three multiple-choice exams, (2) complete an open-book case study (see below), (3) fill out a registration form and complete a student questionnaire, and (4) sign a code of ethics.

Q: What is the final exam and where do I take it?
A: Each exam has 75 multiple-choice questions. Exams are taken at a Prometric Center. These centers are located throughout the country. If it is inconvenient for you to go to a testing center (e.g., too many miles away, disability, trouble logging onto the system, etc.), a proctored exam can be taken in your office. There is no charge to take an office exam, but the proctor you select must be a branch manager or compliance officer.

Q: What is the passage rate on the exam(s)?
A: Approximately 75%. Students who fail the exam can pay a $75 re-exam fee. If necessary, the final test can be taken multiple times.

Q: What if I do not pass or take the test(s) within the 12-month time frame?
A: You can pay $40 for a three-month extension. Multiple extensions can be purchased for a total of 2years from time of enrollment.

Q: What is the "two open-book case studies" requirement?
A: Each case study is a half to a one page set of facts based on a hypothetical client. The response must be typewritten or word processed and less than two pages in length.

Q: Are there any ongoing or CE requirements?
A: Yes. After being a designee for one year, you must complete 15 hours of continuing education, reported once every two years. Designees have a wide range of topics and methods to choose from (e.g., attending seminars, reading books, completing other courses, teaching, writing articles, etc.).

Q: Do I get anything for my $100 annual registration fee?
A: Yes. Students and existing designees will receive the IBF Desk Reference. This 6bs for various sectors and investment vehicles such as individual securities, mutual funds, and variable annuities, plus more.

The IBF Desk Reference is an expanded version of what IBF used to sell several years ago for $250 annually (and that version was not in color). Designees will be sent updated 4-color replacement pages for all 120+ charts, graphs, and tables each year. The designee does not pay for the binder, the120+ pages, or the annual updates.

Q: Do I get anything else?
A: Yes. You are entitled to a 50% subscription discount to The Wall Street Journal and/or Barron's. A one-year subscription to the Journal costs a little over $200. Our students pay less than half that amount. The savings are similar for Barron's.

You can also save on PC or Mac software. We have made a deal with the largest distributor of computer hardware and software. Virtually any software you need can be purchased at a substantial discount. As an example, the most current version of Microsoft Office costs $350 at Staples or Office Depot. IBF students and graduates can purchase this software for $150.

Q: Does the program fulfill CE requirements for licenses or other designations?
A: This program fulfills CE requirements for CFP, CLU, ChFC and a number of other designations. Please contact our offices at (800) 848-2029 to find out if this program will meet the Insurance or Securities CE requirements for your state.

Q: Are there group or corporate enrollment discounts?
A: Yes groups receive a discount. Contact our corporate accounts department by sending an email to IBF or calling (800) 848-2029.